The present invention relates to techniques for integrally utilizing distributed information resources. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system which corresponds to a network for distributing spatial information, when the information resources are the spatial information including data related to positions, and to software for realization of the system.
Techniques for distributing geographical information include a national geographical spatial data clearing house (hereinafter abbreviated as the xe2x80x9cclearing housexe2x80x9d) and meta data of geographical information, which are described in xe2x80x9cSpatial Data Infrastructure Project and GIS,xe2x80x9d p80-p83, (published by the geographical information system society on Oct. 31, 1996).
The clearing house, which refers to a network for utilizing electronically connected geographical spatial data, is a general name of a plurality of distributed information providing organizations and facilities. It is thought that the clearing house will provide an effective means for finding information possessed by individual organizations because the clearing house has previously defined metadata, later described, so that it can distribute data related to the location of geographical information.
The metadata of geographical information describes location, conditions for utilization, geographical and temporal coverage, accuracy, items, attributes, original data, price, compatibility to utilization, and so on for a set of data, and the metadata of geographical information is described to be catalog-like information which is separated from a database system itself with an intention that it is independently distributed.
The aforementioned prior art, however, does not describe any technical resolution for transmission and reception between an information providing server and an information utilizing server when geographical information is utilized.
The prior art does not either consider any method for providing new map data with reference to previously provided map data.
The present invention is a method of distributing spatial information. This spatial information is defined as described later.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a scheme for distributing spatial information between information providers and information users.
The present invention can achieve the above object by creating a corresponding index for each spatial information. Here, the spatial information refers to data which has data related to a spatial position and which can corresponds other spatial information with the data related to the position. Also, the index includes information related to a position included in spatial information, and data related to a storage location of the spatial information. This index also includes (1) a source ID for uniquely identifying spatial information; (2) coordinate translation values which are parameters used to correspond certain spatial information to other spatial information; and (3) when the spatial information including this index has been created by referencing other spatial information, an underlay diagram specifying ID represented by the source ID possessed by the referenced spatial information, or the like. The underlay diagram is spatial information that serves as geographical reference for certain spatial information, and need not be a drawing.
Also, the present invention presents a menu which is a set of one or more options (information) each corresponding to spatial information. The menu may be provided by a computer which searches for spatial information, or a computer which provides spatial information, or a computer which provides articles or services utilizing spatial information when the user is to acquire desired spatial information. Also, by using the menu, the user can search spatial information, acquire spatial information, and obtain an article or a service introduced by spatial information. The options refer to data, each of which is corresponded to spatial information, and serves as a key for searching for spatial information. It can therefore be said that an option represents data which is used for inputting and outputting data necessary to search for spatial information, or the data.
A more specific configuration of the present invention is as follows. Spatial information corresponding to one or more options selected from a presented menu is displayed. In this event, the selection of an option (menu) may be made by a user of the present invention or on the system side in accordance with certain criteria. In addition, indexes may be included in the options, or indexes themselves may be used as options.
Alternatively, instead of directly displaying spatial information after an option has been selected, associated information associated with the selected option may be displayed. Displayed associated information may be displayed together with displayed spatial information, or spatial information corresponding to a newly selected one may be displayed from among displayed associated information.
The associated information links an option (menu) to spatial information. As the associated information, there is a digest. The digest is a collection of one or more data within spatial information which are open to public without special conditions. Indexes may be included therein, or indexes themselves may be used as digest information. In addition, summaries of associated information (including summaries of images) may be included in a digest, or a summary itself may be used as a digest. The digest may be presented separately corresponding to a plurality of spatial information.
Furthermore, digests may be used as options. First, digests are presented, and spatial information is displayed corresponding to a selected one from the presented digests. The digests may be presented separately corresponding to a plurality of spatial information.
For realizing the above-mentioned present invention on computers connected to a network, the following configuration may be used. A second computer having indexes (which may not have digests if the digests are not identical to the indexes) retrieves spatial information corresponding to a selected index from a first computer (storage device) which stores spatial information, and presents it to a predetermined computer. At this time, the index may be selected by anyone, such as the user of the third computer, the third computer itself, or the like. Also, the predetermined computer may be other than the third computer. For presenting spatial information from the first computer to the third computer, it is not a concern whether or not the spatial information should pass the second computer. Also, the present invention includes a configuration for sending to the user of the third computer using a medium, not through a network.
Further, a navigation apparatus may be included as the first computer. In this case, the first computer is notified of a change in spatial information such as a change in road situation (including the presence or absence of construction), and a change in map information or the like. By incorporating the contents of such changes in indexes, spatial information desired by the user of the navigation apparatus can also be made available (such as spatial information including a traffic jam situation predicted at present or in future, and spatial information including the least time-consuming route to a destination).
Also, by using indexes, the same type or different types of spatial information can be integrated more easily and accurately. When using an electronized version of information described on a paper as spatial information, an index xe2x80x9cindicating how it was electronized (coordinate translation) or the likexe2x80x9d is created during the electronization, such that the index is utilized to match a plurality of spatial information for integration. Also, visual data such as photographs and movies can be similarly integrated by taking imaged locations, imaged orientations, and so on as indexes.
Further, by using indexes, it is possible to perform processing desired by the user of the third computer on a fourth computer (which may be the same as the first computer) associated with spatial information presented on the third computer. The desired processing may include delivery of new information from the fourth computer to the third computer; conducting electronic shopping through the fourth computer (including the reception of a desired service); and execution of a procedure for receiving a desired service (reservation of a facility and so on) through the fourth computer.
Furthermore, when information indicative of the value of spatial information is included in the index, per unit accounting can also be adopted for spatial information from the third computer. Also, by incorporating quotation and reference relationship with spatial information in the index, per unit accounting can also be applied to a quoting or referencing party of the spatial information. In this event, the per unit accounting can be applied to a quoting or referencing party through the second quoting stage or the like, even if quotation or reference is made the second or more quoting stage as long as the extraction and reference relationship is incorporated.